


five hours with draco malfoy;

by neddnisa



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Multi, My First Fanfic, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:29:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29334576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neddnisa/pseuds/neddnisa
Summary: Five hours locked with Draco Malfoy, what could go wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

_¿Qué sucede cuando reúnes a dos personas de mundos completamente diferentes en el mismo espacio sin escapatoria?_

Aquella mañana de invierno, ninguno de los dos sabía que, al final del día, su forma de ver el mundo cambiaría por completo. Nadie podría haber sabido que sin querer crearían algo tan mágico y especial entre ellos que, si se lo hubieran dicho esa mañana, seguramente se habrían reído. Venía de una familia no mágica, muggles, a la que sus padres le habían enseñado a vivir una vida humilde y decente, a ser amable y a ayudar a los demás. Le enseñaron valores, no ser vanidosos. La riqueza escaseaba en su casa pero eso no era problema para la familia de los Hunt, se conformaban, agradecidos, por lo que la vida les había dado. Annelisse era una persona alegre y feliz, incluso cuando las cosas parecían ir mal, siempre encontraba la manera de aprender algo de eso o incluso ver el lado bueno de eso. Nunca dejaba que algo la deprimiera, siempre se decía a sí misma que si las cosas pasaban de esa manera era por algo. Seguramente es por eso que el sombrero seleccionador eligió ponerla en Hufflepuff. Pero él era todo lo contrario a ella. Estaba completamente destrozado por dentro, había perdido toda esperanza en la vida y no podía encontrarle ningún significado. O eso pensó hasta que la conoció. había perdido toda esperanza en la vida y no podía encontrarle ningún significado. O eso pensó hasta que la conoció. había perdido toda esperanza en la vida y no podía encontrarle ningún significado. O eso pensó hasta que la conoció.


	2. PART ONE

**LIKE EVERY MORNING** , Draco Malfoy got out of bed to face his day to day once more. As usual, he went to the shower, turned on the water and let it run, waiting for it to get hot enough. Once ready, he stepped inside and let it soak into his body, feeling the heat of the water on his skin, causing it to go goose bumps while he was lost in thought of him.

Draco was quite a peculiar boy. From a very young age, he had always shown attitudes equal to his father's; Self-centered, pushy, ambitious and even pedantic.

As the years at Hogwarts went by, he had managed to create a large number of enemies thanks to them. It is true that he was always with Crabbe and Goyle but, as much as people thought they were friends, Draco did not feel that way. Deep down, he himself knew that everything was pure appearance and even to keep his parents happy because of their blood status and family name.

What no one knew was that Draco Malfoy himself had, although very well hidden, a great heart and he wished with all his might, from the depths of him, to be able to show it to someone some day.

Oftentimes, with his cutting attitudes, all he could do was turn people away from him. In a way, he appreciated it. A small part of him was afraid of opening up to people, distrusting them, and how could he not be? He hadn't grown up knowing what affection was, or at least not his father's.

Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy had never allowed Draco to lack anything materially. From a very young age, they filled him with toys, whims and more. If he wanted something, they took care of getting it for his little boy. But there was only one thing they had never given him, that he had never experienced or savored; the love and affection of a family.

Because of this, over the years, Draco ended up forming a shell on him, thus avoiding any kind of emotion. He had become a cold being, unable to empathize with anyone. He was always rude, mean and grumpy with people, but that wasn't the true self of him. After all, he only reflected that attitude his father had indoctrinated him with over the years.

Often he would sneak out to the Astronomy tower to be alone and lose himself in his thoughts. When he did, he couldn't help but feel sad for himself. He felt completely alone in this world, he thought about everything he had achieved so far and only one word came to mind; _nothing_.

He felt a huge emptiness in his heart and no matter how hard he tried to fill it, he couldn't find a way. He wanted to change but he had grown up with the ideals of his father, which he could never help but bring out.

_"You must never show yourself vulnerable, son. Remember that you are a Malfoy, and we never show weakness."_

His father's voice echoed through his mind. Maybe, and just maybe, that was why he had become so irritating, distant and unapproachable. Having grown up without the love or affection of a morher and a father, it made him ignore all that that feeling could bring him.


	3. PART TWO

**IF DESTINY REALLY EXISTED** , that morning it decided to act in a somewhat twisted way, although surely with good intentions, and, who would have thought that two completely different worlds would end up joining together?

That day, fortunately there were no classes and the corridors of the castle were full of students, running from one place to another with joy. The weekend had come, and with it, the Christmas holidays. Everyone would go home the next day to join their families at this magical time of year.

Annelisse felt just like the rest of her classmates, agitated, happy to be able to see her family after months. She always found it hard having to leave her family to attend Hogwarts no matter how much she loved studying here and being with her friends. She wanted to see her little brothers again, her father, her mother and, above all, her older brother, who used to spend the year abroad, since he worked in the Ministry of Magic there in America.

She was in her room, already preparing her huge and damaged suitcase. Her mother had told her a thousand and one times that she should buy a new one from her but she didn't want to do it, she liked hers just as it was. She told herself that the suitcase was special, that every bump, scratch or break that it had, it told an anecdote about a trip or important moment. For that reason, she wanted to continue using it, she wanted to continue marking that suitcase of memories.

"It is done." She said on a relieved sigh, talking to herself as she proudly observed the task that she hated so much and she liked at the same time. Packing was overwhelming but on the other hand, it made her stomach tingle, since that meant vacation and it was one of the things she liked the most, traveling, wherever she went. No matter the destination, as long as she tried to get out of the rut, she enjoyed the place she went to the most.

What she didn't know was, that on the other side of the castle, in one of the dungeon rooms of the Slytherin house, Draco Malfoy was doing exactly the same thing she was doing at the moment. Although not with the same effusiveness, he watched his suitcase with sadness on his face. Holidays meant something else entirely to him; having to spend time with his family.

And not that he hated it, he liked to see them again but he knew for sure that that feeling would fade the next day and then loneliness would reappear, drowning him. Being in his house was what it implied, being alone, feeling that way during all the days that he spent with them.

At times, he had thought of asking his parents to stay at Hogwarts but he never dared, since he knew what the answer would be. Anywhere seemed better to him than his house, than that cold manor he called _home_.

He decided that morning to climb the Astronomy tower after having everything ready to leave tomorrow with the Hogwarts Express. He walked out of his room calmly, without much fuss as he watched the people around him. Some greeted him and he just shook his head slightly in greeting as he walked through the huge Slytherin common room. He wished not to meet Crabbe or Goyle on the way since he wanted to be alone, not to be disturbed.

He successfully advanced through the grandiose corridors of Hogwarts, dodging people, even ignoring them, directing his step towards the long-awaited tower, the only place where no one bothered him.

When he finished climbing the stairs, he let out a huge sigh, somewhat relieved, and the mist could be seen coming out of his mouth from the cold December day. He walked slowly, approaching the railing of the tower. He put his hands down, feeling the icy iron on them, sliding them slightly. He liked to feel the cold on his body. After all, it was the only thing he knew; cold. He had never felt warmth or anything like it.

His eyes took in the beautiful landscape offered by the tower, white with snow, almost dazzling. Everything was bathed in snow and mixed with the green of the pastures.

His mind returned to the same idea again, pulling his head closer and looking down from above. When he went upstairs, he thought about how easy it would be to end this. He only he had to get on the rail and take a step to get it.

"What a stupid thing." That was what he always ended up saying to himself and why he had never done such a thing. Maybe he wasn't brave, maybe he didn't want to disappoint his mother. Or maybe, and just maybe, there was still a small silver lining somewhere inside him.

Fate had set it's plan in motion that day, we could even name it. His name was Buttons and Annelisse was running desperately, chasing him around the corners of Hogwarts.

"Oh, damn cat." She muttered to herself. If there was something she couldn't control, it was Buttons. He constantly ran away from her, even disappeared for a day or two, but he always came back to her. That morning, trying to catch him so that tomorrow they could go home together, Buttons decided to do his thing and make it difficult for her. Annelisse couldn't do it, every time it looked like she was about to catch him, he would run again, fleeing once more from her.

Buttons, enjoying what seemed like a game to him, entered the castle at full speed while Annelisse continued to curse him under ther breath as she pursued him. Seeing where he was going, her lips twisted, forming a smile on her face almost victorious.

He was heading towards the Astronomy tower and then she knew that Buttons would have no escape. She came up the stairs after him while she was talking to him.

"You can't escape anymore, Buttons." She said almost in a whisper as she reached the bottom of the stairs and, with it, reached the tower "Where are you? Come kitty kitty."

At that very moment, Draco Malfoy was disturbed by the presence of something, causing him to startle and abruptly bring him back to reality. He lowered his head towards what had taken him out of his thoughts and frowned when he saw that he had a black cat next to him that wouldn't stop rubbing against him as he meowed softly, seeking his attention.

He felt confused for a second, wondering what a cat would do up here, so far from the Hogwarts grounds. Buttons meowed again, this time raising his head from him, looking directly at Draco. He couldn't help but feel curious, so he bent down slowly towards that cat, slowly reached out his hand towards him and gently stroked his back.

But what Draco hadn't realized yet but he would do very soon, was that this cat wasn't alone.


	4. PART THREE

**WHEN SHE FINALLY REACHED** the tower, she looked around with her eyes and then saw him, although she was surprised to see that Buttons wasn't alone.

"Little devil, here you are." She said as she started walking decisively towards Draco and the cat.

Draco was so distracted watching that cat that, until he heard Annelisse's voice echoing through the tower, he didn't realize that he wasn't alone. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet and, once more, put on that cuirass that weighed so heavily. He frowned suspiciously as he watched the girl approach him.

He watched her, giving her a quick glance. He didn't remember ever seeing that girl at Hogwarts and was confused by it, _would she be new?_ He thought to himself.

He looked at the dark-haired girl for a few more moments as she finished approaching him. Then, Draco finished getting firm and serious.

Annelisse bent down to take Buttons in her arms and while she rocked a little, raised her face to that boy. She knew who he was, everyone knew the famous Draco Malfoy, even if she was from a previous year. She knew of his reputation, his friendships, and how unpresentable he could sometimes become with others. Still, Annelisse never wanted to judge him, she always believed in the good side of people.

"Thank you." She almost whispered and then smiled at him.

"You should be more careful with that furball of yours." Draco snapped. He didn't think too much about it, that's how he used to be. He didn't think about things before saying them, causing others to constantly be offended by his comments.

She, on the other hand, hearing those words could not help but frown, annoyed by that comment. No one could mess with her pet except her. And maybe her brothers "It wasn't my fault. He ran away and came all the way here." Annelisse replied in the same tone.

"Yeah, well, if you were a better owner maybe he wouldn't have escaped you."

"Why so rude, Malfoy?" She frowned even more, shooting him an uneasy look. Draco raised both eyebrows as soon as he heard his last name slip from her lips. He did not understand how it was possible that the girl in front of him knew him.

"Because I can, idiot. Next time lock up that furball and he won't get away." His face wrinkled with his words, showing an expression of displeasure "And now, get out. I was fine here alone until you arrived. I don't want to see you and your stupid cat around here."

Annelisse's mouth fell open in an 'O'. She had heard that Draco Malfoy was arrogant and somewhat obnoxious but, she had never spoken to him neither he had never spoken to her until now and he had been a complete idiot, as usual.

"I wouldn't want to stay with someone as disgusting as you either." She answered him, noticing the annoyance in the tone of her voice. Annelisse snorted and turned to leave.

With those words, Draco felt a small twinge in his chest. He was used to being told things like that but, for some unknown reason, that girl's had affected him.

Annelisse made her way down the long stairs of the tower with a bit of a rush on account of her nerves. She felt somewhat hurt by those words, no one had never spoken to her in that way. Everyone around her was good to her, treated her wonderfully.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and with it, the Astronomy classroom. She walked through it as she patted Buttons and snuggled him into her arms.

"Come on, Buttons," she sighed "there are people who don't know how to behave." Said without really knowing who, herself or her cat. When she reached the door, reached for the knob carefully, still holding Buttons in her arms and tried to open it.

She tried, over and over. She looked at the door confused, not quite understanding what was happening, because, _who was going to close the door of the Astronomy classroom?_ Annelisse thought. And the truth, it didn't make sense.

After several attempts, she decided to put Buttons carefully on the floor to try one more time with both hands. Annelisse was pulling and pulling and there was no way and finally snorted at her futile attempt. Remembering it, she looked for her wand to try to open it with some spell. Hopefully an _Alohomora_ would suffice.

She fingered her front pockets and widened her eyes not noticing anything in them, tested on the back pockets and nothing either. She checked in the lower part of her pants, where she sometimes hid it and was not there. _Shit_ , she cursed to herself. She hadn't brought the wand with her. In the rush and mad chase of her cat, she hadn't taken the wand from her room, thus remembering that she had left it on her bed next to her suitcase. She cursed herself once more.

She snorted herself, giving up. She watched the door while she thought about the situation. She was locked in the Astronomy classroom and she couldn't get out. She moved slowly around the place, thinking of something, some solution.

And then, she thought of Draco. If he had his wand, he could open the door and she could get out of there. The idea of having to ask him for something was not amusing after seeing how he had treated her, but it was the only thing she could do to get out of there.

With some uncertainty, she went back up the stairs that led to the top of the tower.

Meanwhile, Draco had leaned back on the railing and was once again observing that landscape after his little encounter with that mysterious girl. Her words echoed in his head, especially one in particular; _disgusting_. He kept thinking about it, asking to himself, _Am I that disgusting towards the rest? Is this how they see me?_ That girl had made him think of something that no one had ever achieved and he snorted with some burden and concern about that.

After several minutes, he decided to go downstairs again and go back to his room. He had thought of spending the day locked in his room reading, where no one would bother him, putting all those questions and thoughts about that comment out of his head. He got to his feet, turned around and began to walk at a leisurely pace toward the stairs. Just reaching them, he couldn't help but bump into someone, who almost fell into his arms.


	5. PART FOUR

**HIS HANDS STOPPED** as they could the collision. Draco and Annelisse's gazes met for a second, both of them realizing what, or rather, who they had collided with.

Draco frowned and couldn't help but think, a _gain?_ While Annelisse was thinking more about, s _hit, now what will he tell me?_ Both separated observing each other.

"You here again?" He said trying to sound annoyed. He wasn't at all, he just didn't understand why that girl had come back.

"I am not here for pleasure." She answered. He looked at her confused for an instant, not understanding her words. She sighed before speaking again "The door... won't open."

Draco raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Have you forgotten how to open doors?"

"It's not that! It can't be opened, it's closed." She said that last more calmly. She didn't like to get upset but she wasn't used to being treated that way either.

Draco pushed her away without saying a word while rolling his eyes and started down the stairs, heading towards the Astronomy classroom. As he was doing it, he was thinking about things like, _Can this girl really can't open a damn door?_ Or, _She is not aware that wands exist?_

Annelisse followed Draco silently, hoping he could open the door and escape from there. Not that she hated Draco or was afraid of him, she just didn't like the way he spoke to her. She truly believed that Draco Malfoy was bad and she didn't want to be around him.

When he reached the door, he tried to open it but, like Annelisse, he did not achieve any success. He tried, as did she, several times and nothing.

"Give me your wand." He said seriously, stretching out his arm a little for her to give it to him.

"I don't have my wand." She responded and instantly pressed her lips together, closing her eyes, waiting for his reaction.

He turned around, surprised "What do you mean you don't have your wand?"

"Well, I don't have it."

"Who would go around without it's wand?" He raised his voice a little at the same time as his hands, looking at her with some annoyance.

"I was coming to ask for yours to get us out of here!"

As soon as he heard those words, Draco realized. His expression changed completely, becoming serious and almost even a little scared. _The wand_ , he thought.

"What?" Annelisse asked, not understanding his face at the time. She was watching him somewhat terrified, unsure. She had never seen Draco Malfoy with that face, so pale.

"I don't have my wand." He answered almost in a whisper but it was audible to her. He broke away from the door, beginning to walk through the classroom, cursing himself.

"Who would go around without it's wand?" She repeated his words, mockingly mimicking him as she followed him.

These made him stop and turn to her angrily "Don't talk to me like that." He answered dryly, squinting at her with his finger pointing at her.

"No, _you_ don't talk to me like that! I'm a person, just like you!" She frowned again, this time somewhat offended by Draco's words, ponting him with a finger too. It was definitely the first time she had to deal with someone so complicated and she was quite taken aback by the whole situation.

The two looked at each other for several seconds, challenging each other with their gaze. Draco found it curious the way she didn't look away from him, the way she challenged him with it, while Annelisse kept thinking about how rude and foul-mouthed that boy turned out to be.

After a few seconds, Draco looked away, still serious on his face. "Whatever. I'm not going to put up with you here. I couldn't bear to put up with a _Hufflepuff_."

"How do you know which house I am from?" Draco, at that question, couldn't help but smile sideways.

"Look at you. Scruffy, with that typical Hufflepuff face, as if butter wouldn't melt in your mouth. Your way of talking..." He held out his finger to her "And maybe because you wear the shield on your sweater."

Annelisse pressed her lips together almost pouting, feeling a bit silly and she slapped his pointing finger away from her.

"Very clever, Malfoy."

"I do what I can." He rolled his eyes to her as he shrugged "And now, leave me alone, will you?" He looked at her one last time, almost threatening, before turning and heading once more toward the tower. The last thing Draco wanted was to have to spend the last day of school locked up with a Hufflepuff girl.

For Annelisse, it wasn't the best setting in the world either. She would never have imagined having to be locked up with Draco Malfoy in the same place. Just thinking about it, a chill ran through her entire body. She watched Draco go while she thought about what she was going to do next. They had no wands and she had no idea how to get out of there.

A _meow_ snapped her out of her thoughts, causing her to look down. She saw Buttons looking at her attentively and she snorted, putting her hands on her waist. "Such a mess you made, huh?" She told him, to which the cat responded with another _meow_ and began to rub against her. Annelisse was looking at him incredulously, raising an eyebrow "Now you come to me, after all that you have made me chase you?" She spoke to him again.

Often she did it, as if he were a person, as if the cat could understand her. And sometimes, she even felt that Buttons understood her, which she liked. Despite having a somewhat complicated relationship with him due to his escapades, Buttons and Annelisse had a unique relationship.


	6. PART FIVE

**A LITTLE OVER HALF AND HOUR** had passed since they both saw each other with no escape from the tower and neither of them had tried to make contact with the other. Draco was still at the top of the tower, thinking how miserable he felt once more and he had sat on the edge of the tower and leaned his arms on the railing, letting out a sigh after another. Since they had the day off at Hogwarts, he wasn't in any rush to get them out of there as long as that girl, Annelisse, didn't bother him.

Right below him, in the classroom, was Annelisse, searching the bookshelf full of books, looking for some interesting reading. Although they had to wait for someone to come open for them, she thought that reading, everything would be easier. Besides, she didn't have anything better to do either, so she waited patiently and without losing her cool.

With her fingers, she delicately touched the books in it and read the titles. _Guide to creating star maps, Moon phases, Cosmic Ages and space weather..._ There was a lot.

She found one and decided to take it off the shelf. She watched it before as she read the title, _Encyclopedia of Constellations: Know the Sky._

She glanced at Professor Sinistra's table for a second and found the idea of it tempting. After all, they were locked in without being able to get out, _why not sit at her table?_ She smiled to herself and without hesitation, she did so.

She pulled the chair away from the desk to then sit on it, letting out a small moan of pleasure, slightly rolling her eyes for it. That chair was padded, it was not at all like the ones the students had to use every day. She shifted in that chair, feeling how soft it was.

Buttons went up to the table and then sat on it, next to Annelisse and she smiled happily at him. She loved it when he kept her company. She opened the book and began flipping through the first few pages until she reached the beginning of her reading.

But what Annelisse did not expect was to be disturbed by the same thought over and over as she tried to read. Her mind kept thinking about Draco, why not go up to the tower with him and keep him company. After all, they were locked together. She was thinking of going upstairs and starting a conversation with him but, of course, she knew he didn't make it easy. Perhaps, he was the first person she was unable to get along with or at least try. He was a very complicated and difficult person to understand.

She tried reading again, concentrating on it as much as possible. She read with a frown, trying to sink into the reading but, as much as she tried, Draco came back to her mind. Why should they be alone and apart, being able to keep company? _No one should be alone_ , she thought.

She paused her reading for a second, resting her elbow on the table and her head in her hand as she looked at Buttons. She sighed, doubtfully "What I do?" She asked the cat. When he heard her, he got up, approached her and with a _meow_ began to rub against her once more.

"You're right." She replied after a few seconds.

So, after a futile attempt to read and learn the constellations, she got up closing the book, taking it with her, and with determination she headed for the stairs to climb the tower once more.

She was nervous, had to admit it. She did it with her best intentions but, of course, how does someone deal with Draco Malfoy? As she climbed the stairs, her heart was racing by the minute as she began to see the end of them. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

At that moment, Draco was in overwhelming silence, alone in the tower. Or at least that's what he believed until the sound of footsteps made him turn his face back. 

He saw the girl walking towards him in a somewhat shy way, without speaking and with her head slightly lowered. He watched her head toward the railing, slightly away from him, and she sat the same way he did. He frowned slightly, confused at that. He had told the girl to leave him alone and she had done the opposite. That, kind of annoyed him although he couldn't help but being curious. This girl seemed something different to him.

Annelisse avoided looking at him, fixing her gaze on the landscape as she moved her legs, which were in the void at the top of the tower, nervously. She hoped he didn't say anything rude or at least not very rude.

And what she was unaware of because of it, was that Draco was watching her closely. He carefully examined her features, saw her little nose somewhat upturned, her lips, slightly thin but a little fleshy. Her skin, pale and at first glance smooth, flawless, like a porcelain doll.

He was interrupted when the girl turned her face to him and he had to look away from her completely, even feeling some shame about it. Annelisse had noticed this, so she didn't hesitate to speak.

"Why are you looking at me?" She asked him softly.

Draco couldn't help but speak the same way he always did, defensively. "I wasn't looking at you. Besides, did I tell you that you could talk to me? No, so shut up." He finished saying and turned his gaze forward again.

"It seems to me that someone is not in the mood today. Or rather, are you ever?" Annelisse blurted out, frowning.

Of course, Draco turned to her, annoyed by those words from her. In a way, he felt that the girl was right and that is why he himself resented those words. Draco didn't remember the last time he got up in a good mood at all, not even the last time he was happy.

"It's your presence that puts me in a bad mood."

"I didn't choose to stay here. I hadn't planned on spending my morning like this!" She snapped at him.

Truly, this boy was capable of getting Annelisse out of her mind, something that no one had ever achieved... until now. She was patient, very tolerant, but with Draco Malfoy and his comments, she didn't know how to handle herself.

"Oh, what did you have in mind? Go with your Hufflepuff's friends to dance under a tree and thank the world for such a _wonderful_ day?" He said teasingly, his voice somewhat sharp, on purpose. Annelisse opened her mouth, incredulous at what he had just said.

"We are not like that!" She responded by raising her voice a little.

"Hey, hey, calm down, Hufflepuff. Your chakras are going to be out of place."

She frowned as she narrowed her eyes at him "You're impossible, Malfoy." She snorted and crossed her arms over the railing, staring straight ahead.

Draco watched her, seeing how she was outraged by his comment and couldn't help giving a little chuckle. He was amused by the way her face wrinkled when she was upset and, although he had a hard time admitting it, even a little cute. He was curious about her.

Of course they weren't from the same grade because he would have seen her in class, so he thought she must be a year younger, maybe two. She didn't seem very small either. He didn't even know her name and he felt a bit embarrassed about it. He knew that he had treated her badly for no reason, that he had gone back to being an idiot.

Without realizing it, both Draco and Annelisse were silent, gazing out at the outskirts and strangely enjoying each other's presence without arguing or fighting.

That, to Draco, made him feel different. Even though he didn't think that girl was the best company in the world, having someone there with him made him feel less alone.


	7. PART SIX

**ABOUT AN HOUR HAD PASSED** and neither of them had spoken to the other again. They were just sitting the same way, thinking about their things while, from time to time, and without the other noticing, they looked at each other for a few seconds before looking away again. You could only hear the wind that appeared in small gusts.

At one point when Annelisse looked at Draco, she saw that Buttons was resting next to him and she couldn't help but smile when saw such a scene. Buttons didn't usually get very close to people, which is why she found it curious that he got so close to him.

"He likes you." She said, breaking that long silence. Draco turned his face to her and saw her smiling at him. He liked what he saw, he thought she had a beautiful smile. However, he said nothing, looking away at the cat "He never usually gets close to people but apparently you must have something special." She added.

Those words hit Draco like a pang. _Special_ , that word echoed in his head. _Does she really think I have something special?_ He thought. He had never felt this way.

But what he had most puzzled over all things was not understanding why this girl insisted so much on talking to him.

After hearing that, he couldn't help but lift his head from her and look at her again, discovering that she was already looking at him once more with that smile of hers. Maybe it was only a few seconds but to Draco it seemed an eternity that their eyes were fixed on each other, as if her eyes were watching his soul through them.

"My name is Annelisse." She said sweetly with a smile.

 _Annelisse_ , Draco repeated in his mind. It was a very pretty and elegant name for him, just like the girl in front of him. And now he could name her; _Annelisse_.

He continued without speaking. And the truth was, he didn't know what to say either. That girl had taken him by surprise and he did not know how to handle the situation.

Annelisse, on the other hand, felt calmer. She had managed to endure more than five minutes with him without him spouting any rudeness of his and that made her happy.

"It's nice." She said, causing Draco to look back at her "The place." She finished saying, tilting her head toward him for a second.

But once again, he didn't say anything, although that didn't stop Annelisse.

"I've never been during the day. The views are so much better."

She was not bothered by the fact that he didn't speak. On the contrary, she preferred him to be like this rather than spouting some rudeness. Plus, she liked the quiet between them right now. Just two people, sitting at the top of a tower and enjoying the views.

"Draco."

Hearing his name, he turned to her, even surprised that she didn't call him Malfoy, like everyone else.

"I'm so sorry I told you that before."

Draco took a deep breath at that. He couldn't remember anyone who had apologized to him before and she had taken him completely by surprise.

Annelise got up and walked over to Draco and then, sat next to him, leaning her arms on the railing. It seemed strange to him, he had never allowed someone to get close to him like that but, somehow, with Annelisse, it had not been. He let her sit next to him without questioning.

"I don't know you and I have no right to judge you even if people talk about you." She finished, and their gazes met once more as she smiled at him slightly, kindly.

Draco felt a twinge in his chest from those words, one of the good ones. It was the first time someone had said something like that to him and in his eyes you could see that little silver lining for a second. He also didn't remember the last time someone was kind to him or disinterested.

"You know? I love Christmas. I think it's the best time of the year." Annelisse looked at Draco after saying that but he kept looking away "Do you like it?"

"No."

She looked surprised to hear him. He hadn't spoken to her in almost twenty minutes. Annelisse felt fulfilled by it, she had gotten him to speak.

"Why not?"

He simply shrugged, looking at her.

"That's not an answer." She said sweetly smiling and scrunching up her face in a somewhat amused way that, surprisingly, Draco found tender.

"It is for me."

"Come on, don't you like a little preparing the tree all together, the laughter with the family, the gifts and, above all, playing in the snow?" She insisted subtly.

"No, since I've never done any of that." Draco surprised himself for having said that.

"What?" She frowned and moved a little, trying to get more face to face with him "It can't be."

He didn't respond, to which she sighed.

"Well, you would have to come to my house one day and so I'll show you how to celebrate a Christmas." She said with some pride and a smile on her face.

Draco was both confused and surprised by what Annelisse had said. For a second he even thought this was all some practical joke.

"You... would you invite me?" He asked her unsure.

"Of course." Annalisse smiled sincerely, as did her words "If we can get out of here alive and we don't freeze to death." She joked, opening her eyes a little wider.

Annelisse had just invited Draco Malfoy himself to her house. Draco couldn't help it and, for the first time since they'd been there, he started laughing at what Annelise had said.

When she saw him, she couldn't help but smile at this. She was watching the boy in front of her, cheerful. And for the first time, she saw a very different Draco Malfoy from the one people saw.  
  
  



	8. PART SEVEN

**AFTER A LONG TIME** , Draco Malfoy felt strangely good. It had seemed strange to laugh, as if it were something new to him, but the sensation had seemed wonderful.

"Did I make Draco Malfoy laugh?" Annelisse raised an eyebrow, smiling a little.

"And if you tell someone, I'll deny it." He replied, but this time, he wasn't using that serious tone, he seemed to have relaxed and Annelisse liked that, so she smiled at him back.

"You should do it more often. You look so much better when you smile."

Once again, she left him speechless. Annelisse's way of being threw Draco off completely. He had never met anyone like her, though well, he had never gotten to know someone that much either. And that was saying a lot.

He found Annelisse unique, different from other people. He saw her happy, tender, loving and with a big heart. In addition, although he avoided thinking about it too much, he found her really pretty, especially when she made a face of hers.

He watched her while she was not seeing him and admired her beauty. In a way, he was envious of her. Annelisse was a relaxed, happy and carefree person, always with a smile on her face.

And again, another first time. Draco spoke first, breaking the silence that had formed between them.

"I do like Christmas." He said, causing Annelisse to turn to him.

"And why did you say no?"

"At my house we don't celebrate Christmas. At least not since years." He said with a little sadness in his voice.

"How can you not celebrate Christmas?" She asked, turning to him at the same time that she moved a little closer, incredulous.

He just shrugged in response.

Annelisse sighed "Draco Malfoy, I'm going to have to teach you a lot of things." She said raising both eyebrows and smiling a little at him.

"Hey, enough of last names. Besides, I don't even know yours." He looked at her with a frown.

"Haunt." She replied with a proud smile.

"It doesn't ring a bell at all."

"No wonder, my parents are Muggles. They are not well known in the wizarding world." She twisted her lips.

Normally, Draco would have responded with something derogatory about it but, incredibly, he didn't care at all about Annelisse's origin. He didn't care if she was pure blood or half-blood, he liked the girl in front of him. He even looked surprised by what he was about to ask.

"Where they work at?"

"Well, my mother is now a homemaker, she takes care of my brothers, and my father works in a publishing house. He writes a lot of articles." She smiled again. Draco didn't say anything but he smiled back at her.

"I'm hungry, aren't you?" Annelisse said, turning to him and pouting.

"A little, really."

Annelisse frowned thoughtfully for several seconds until she lifted her finger from hers, an idea coming to mind. Draco looked at her somewhat confused.

Suddenly, she stood up and held out her hand to Draco to help him up. He doubted for an instant whether to take it or not, but since he felt different from the other days before, good in fact, he decided to take it.

She helped him up, pulling him slightly to his feet. "I think Professor Sinistra is hiding some candy on her desk." She said and without giving him time to respond, Annelisse headed for the stairs to go down to Astronomy class.

Draco watched her as she backed away from him, not realizing that he was smiling. He started walking to follow her and descend after her.

When he got downstairs and entered, he found her, crouched on the teacher's desk, rummaging through her things.

"I didn't know about this facet of Hufflepuff's, aren't you ever supposed to do anything wrong?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, come on. Every now and then we do tricks too." She smirked, turning her face to him for an instant. She looked back at the desk as she continued rummaging through professor Sinistra's things. In the bottom drawer, she found a hidden compartment and opened it. Seeing what was in there, a victorious smile from ear to ear appeared on her face.

"Bingo." She said out loud.

To which Draco responded by moving closer. Annelisse had found a pile of sweets, surely requisitioned by the professor. There were chocolate frogs, jelly beans and gummies. She took them in her hands and turned, standing up, to show them to Draco for a moment.

Annelisse walked to the front of the desk and sat on the floor with her back against it, so she could see the whole class in front of her. Draco, still not quite sure what she was doing to him and how that girl was capable of making him feel that way, sat down next to her. Annelisse put the sweets between the two of them.

"Honey, dinner's ready." She started to say, jokingly "We have chocolate frogs for starter, second rubber snakes and dessert jelly—", she said that last taking a jelly bean and putting it in her mouth "—Oh, God." She exclaimed noticing the disgusting taste of it. She swallowed the jelly bean as best she could.

Draco started laughing seeing her like this. The peculiarity of Annelisse pleased him.

"Rotten egg flavored." She finished saying, still with a scowl on her face from the bad taste of the bean.

"Gross." He answered making a face.

"That's the fun thing about jelly beans, not knowing which one you're going to get. That's why I like them, they always surprise you."

And Draco seemed to agree with her, as he took a jelly bean and brought it to his mouth, savoring it. Little by little his face changed and he raised both eyebrows, looking at Annelisse. The jelly bean tasted good.

"And?"

"Lemon."

"See? They always surprise." She smiled.

Without talking much more, just enjoying that moment in silence, Draco and Annelisse continued to eat sweets as if they were little children.


End file.
